Thursday, April 23, 2009

Situated in the Umhloti Nature Reserve just outside Nelspruit, this haven for mistreated, abused and abandon chimpanzees are on a 1000 hectare reserve. Chimpanzee Eden is a home to chimpanzees in a natural habitat. The world renowned Jane Goodall Institute has made this tranquil venue their South African sanctuary and has committed itself to the rescue and care take of chimpanzees in need of refuge.Please visitwww.janegoodall.co.za to find out more about the remarkable woman.

This is the only chimpanzee sanctuary in South Africa.

For reservation, send an email to : reservations@chimpeden.co.za or call them on 013-7457406

A guided Chimp Tour takes about 1 and a half hours. Tours start every day at 10h00, 12h00 and 14h00. Feeding times are at 10h00 and 14h00.

Visitors can expect to be captivated by the beautiful bush surroundings where the animals roam free in their natural environment.

The Best Kept Secret of Mpumalanga:Songimvelo Game Reserve lies deep in the Baberton Mountains and is one of the largest reserves of the Mpumalanga Parks Board. This reserve extends over 50 000 hectares. It lies in the corner of the province little known to travellers, which is possibly its best attribute.

This area forms one of the oldest regions on Earth, with incredible volcanic and sedimentary rocks, examples of which are exceeded only by those found in Greenland.

Scientists from all over the world visit Songimvelo to study the 3.5 billion year old volcanic rocks, known as the BabertonGreenstone.

It is not this rocks alone that attracts visitors to this area. Wide open plains, hidden valleys and forest ravines support an incredible diversity of wildlife, plants and habitats. The Komati River flows by before it disappears into Swaziland and then to the sea.

The reserve are home to herds of zebra, buffalo, red hartebeest, blue wildebeest, giraffe, kudu and impala. Elephants and rhino from Kruger National Park were also introduced here a few years ago. Although no lions live in the reserve, there are black-backed jackal and brown hyena. The reserve has an incredible rich bird life.

This is really the unknown jewel of the Lowveld and worth a visit.

From Marloth Park or even Kruger, Songimvilo is only 90km away, which makes this a nice day drive.

Alison & Nick FitzGerald, own and operate African Dream Safaris in Marloth Park. They offer Kruger Safari tours as well as local Matsumi Swazi Cultural Village trips, etc and they also do "Champagne Breakfasts" and "Sundowner Game Drives" here in Marloth Park. They run their own tours as well as doing trips for some of the local lodges. They specialize in the "personal touch" and do all guiding / driving themselves! Nick is a fully qualified Tour Guide with many years of bush experience and Alison is currently in the process of qualifying.

They are in possession of valid Public Driving Permits and have current First Aid Certificates. Their open Game Drive Vehicle is fully Kruger legal with Passenger Liability Insurance, etc. They also do airport transfers.

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

On the southeastern coast of Africa you will find this beautiful and diverse paradise. Mozambique boasts a pristine coastline of 2 500 kilometers. Mozambique, formerly a Portuguese colony has become the playground of both South African and International tourists. With its island vibe, various island, coastal resorts and luke warm water, this is no wonder.Maputo, situated in the south, is the capital of Mozambique. Although English is widely spoken at the various resorts, Portuguese is the official language.

The Zambezi and Limpopo, two of Southern Africa's longest rivers, flow through Mozambique. The Rovuma river forms the northern border with Tanzania. Lake Malawi forms the border with Malawi. Inland you'll find savannah and woodlands, forests and various mountains. This area is famous for trees like hardwoods, acacia and papaya. Animals include the endangered black rhino. The hot and rainy season is from October to March with the average temperature around 31 degrees. Between April and September is the dry season with daily temperatures up to 27 degrees along the coastal regions.

No vaccinations are required when visiting Mozambique, but malaria remains a problem and one should take care. Consult your doctor of Pharmacist, otherwise use Tabard or Peaceful Sleep.

The currency is Metical, however US Dollars and South African Rands are also accepted.

Maputo is a vibrant and cosmopolitan city. Roads have been tarred, running water and electricity have been restored, and a lot of development is taking place since the end of the civil war. There are several places of interest like the Roman Catholic Cathedral, Fresh Seafood Market, numerous hotels and interesting restaurants. One of the famous restaurants in Maputo are Casa do Sol, situated next to the beach. Here you can enjoy fresh seafood and Pao every day. Pao is a traditional bread roll.

Daily flights from JHB, makes this a very popular and easily reachable destination.

Mozambique is world renowed for its beautiful islands :

Ilha Da Inhaca: situated in the bay of Maputo, just 40 km from the capitalInhambane : situated 485 km north of MaputoVilankulo : 800km north of MaputoBazaruto Archipelago : opposite Vilankulo lies a chain of 5 small islands. 25 000 years ago they broke away from the Africa continent to form the Archipelago. In 1971 this islands were declared a National Park.

On these beautiful islands are various resorts and lodges. Barra Lodge, Flamingo Bay Water Lodge, Marlin Lodge, Benguerra Lodge, to name only a few.